On This Day

Moreton Bay Penal Settlement established at Redcliffe, Queensland, with about 30 convicts (modern Brisbane, Australia) [

Moreton Bay Penal Settlement established at Redcliffe, Queensland, with about 30 convicts (modern Brisbane, Australia) [1]

Between 1788 and 1868 the British penal system transported about 162,000 convicts from Great Britain and Ireland to various penal colonies in Australia.

The British Government began transporting convicts overseas to American colonies in the early 18th century. After trans-Atlantic transportation ended with the start of the American Revolution, authorities sought an alternative destination to relieve further overcrowding of British prisons and hulks. Earlier in 1770, James Cook had charted and claimed possession of the east coast of Australia for Great Britain.

Historical Significance

Between 1788 and 1868 the British penal system transported about 162,000 convicts from Great Britain and Ireland to various penal colonies in Australia.

Events Before

  1. Bahia Independence Day: End of Portuguese rule in Brazil, with the final defeat of the Portuguese crown loyalists in the

    Bahia Independence Day: End of Portuguese rule in Brazil, with the final defeat of the Portuguese crown loyalists in the province of Bahia

  2. US President James Monroe declares the "Monroe Doctrine" opposing European colonialism in the Americas, arguing any Euro

    US President James Monroe declares the "Monroe Doctrine" opposing European colonialism in the Americas, arguing any European political intervention in the New World would be a hostile act against the United States

  3. Play "Rosamunde, Princess of Cyprus" by Helmina von Chézy with incidental music by Franz Schubert premieres in Vienna

    Rosamunde, Fürstin von Zypern (Rosamunde, Princess of Cyprus) is a play by Helmina von Chézy, which is primarily remembered for the incidental music which Franz Schubert composed for it.

  4. President Monroe appoints first US ambassadors to South America

    James Monroe ( mən-ROH; April 28, 1758 – July 4, 1831) was an American Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825.

  5. English Captain James Weddell reaches 74°15' S, 1520 km from South Pole

    English Captain James Weddell reaches 74°15' S, 1520 km from South Pole

Events After

  1. US President James Monroe urges Congress to approve creation of Indian Territory, west of the Mississippi River, for the

    US President James Monroe urges Congress to approve creation of Indian Territory, west of the Mississippi River, for the relocation of Eastern Indian tribes to 'promote their welfare and happiness" [1]

  2. Russia and Britain establish the Alaska-Canada boundary

    The Alaska boundary dispute was a territorial dispute between the United States and the British Empire over the Canada–United States border regarding Alaska between the 1890s and 1900s.

  3. Author and scholar Wilhelm Grimm (39) weds Henriette Dorothea

    Author and scholar Wilhelm Grimm (39) weds Henriette Dorothea

  4. Prince Willem FK marries Louise AWA of Prussia

    Prince Willem FK marries Louise AWA of Prussia

  5. Portugal recognizes the independence of its former colony Brazil

    Portugal recognizes the independence of its former colony Brazil

More from the 1820s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on September 12, 1824?
Between 1788 and 1868 the British penal system transported about 162,000 convicts from Great Britain and Ireland to various penal colonies in Australia. The British Government began transporting convicts overseas to American colonies in the early 18th century. After trans-Atlantic transportation ended with the start of the American Revolution, authorities sought an alternative destination to relieve further overcrowding of British prisons and hulks.
Why is Moreton Bay Penal Settlement established at Redcliffe, Queensland, with about... significant?
Between 1788 and 1868 the British penal system transported about 162,000 convicts from Great Britain and Ireland to various penal colonies in Australia.

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